Elise Anne Woods

Elise Anne Woods, of Berkeley Springs and Shepherdstown, West Virginia, passed away peacefully on December 14, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She was born on March 30, 1941, in Hillsdale, Michigan. Her children were able to be with her in her final days, easing her passing with love and presence. The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the caregivers and staff at Arden Courts and A Hospice for All Seasons for their compassionate care, kindness, and support during Elise's final months.

Elise is survived by her son, Paul Woods, and his wife Johnna Armstrong; her daughter, Julie Yates, and her husband Rob Yates; and her three beloved grandchildren, Alina Yates, Kyle Yates, and Quinn Yates. She is also survived by her sisters, Carole Proebstle and her husband Jim Proebstle, and Marie Timm and her husband Steve Timm; and by her former husband, Douglas Woods, and his wife Donna Hankey Woods.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Jim Schanzlin, who passed away in 2012, and by her parents, Paul Wesley and Ilah Ruth Schanzlin.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church in Shepherdstown, West Virginia on Saturday December 27th at 3pm.

Elise was a lifelong and deeply devoted gardener, always finding space to cultivate vegetables, fruits, and life wherever she lived. Raspberries and strawberries were her particular favorites. She was also a passionate advocate for local farmers and community food access.

In lieu of flowers, Elise requested that contributions be made to Shepherdstown Shares - https://www.shepherdstownshares.org/make-a-request

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A Life Fully Lived

Elise was named for her beloved grandmother, Elise Emily Schaarschmidt, a Swiss immigrant who died when Elise was just four years old. Elise fondly remembered her grandmother singing and yodeling in the kitchen, a memory that stayed with her throughout her life.

She loved gardening, cooking, cats (many cats), dogs, astrology, spirited political discussions, and yes, the occasional conspiracy theory. Stubborn and outspoken, Elise never minced words. You always knew where you stood with her, and she considered that a virtue.

If her essence could be summed up in one word, it would be Amma, the Telugu word for mother. Elise chose to be called Amma by her grandchildren, a name that reflected who she was at her core. She mothered not only her family, but her animals, regularly adopting stray cats, and her garden, tending her small piece of the earth with care and intention. She was known for her exceptional canned peaches, pickles, and applesauce and was a steady, ever-present force in the lives of those she loved.

Elise grew up Methodist; her father was a Methodist minister and her mother a teacher. She graduated from Muskegon High School in 1959 and attended Western Michigan University's Bronson Methodist School of Nursing, beginning a career as a nurse. Her work as a nurse remained one of her proudest identities and strongest memories, even as Alzheimer's disease slowly took others.

She raised her family first in Chelsea, Michigan, and later in Columbia, Maryland, where she was active in the Presbyterian Church. While raising her children, Elise returned to school and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Baltimore School of Business on May 20, 1981. She began a second career in finance, working at Union Trust Bank in Baltimore, then in financial software roles in Boston and Richmond, and ultimately finishing her career at Business Technology Source.

Her move to Boston marked the beginning of what she affectionately called her "Wild Woman" years. Elise became a dedicated student of spirituality, traveling to India to study Hinduism and to Europe to visit ancient spiritual sites. She became a shaman and healer, and a natural mentor to many who sought her guidance in matters of life and spirit.

Elise was also an active community columnist for the Martinsburg Journal and the Shepherdstown Observer, using the power of her pen to challenge, provoke thought, and advocate for a better world.

In retirement, Elise settled in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, where she became deeply involved in the Berkeley Springs Farmers Market, working to expand access to fresh local food and to enable the market to accept SNAP benefits. She spent her final years near family in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Elise lived fiercely, loved deeply, and cared for people, animals, and the earth with equal devotion. She will be remembered as a mother, grandmother, healer, writer, gardener, and advocate, and she leaves behind a legacy of honesty, compassion, and unapologetic authenticity.